In an interview in 2007 with Al-Jazeera TV, Gadhafi gushed about the former secretary of State, the Associated Press reports.

"I support my darling black African woman," he said. "I admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the Arab leaders. ... Leezza, Leezza, Leezza. ... I love her very much. I admire her, and I'm proud of her, because she's a black woman of African origin."

The following year, Rice traveled to Libya as part of the steps toward normalizing relations between the two countries. That capped Gadhafi's move to get rid of weapons of mass destruction and mend ties with the West.

Rice, who visited Gadhafi's home during that trip, noted at the time that the United States "doesn't have any permanent enemies."

Her aides said the Libyan dictator referred to Rice, who is called "Condi" by her friends, as "Leezza," in his own brand of chumminess.

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About Doug Stanglin

Doug is an unrepentant news junkie who loves breaking news and has been known to watch C-SPAN even on vacation. He has covered a wide range of domestic and international news stories, from prison riots in Oklahoma to the Moscow coup against Mikhail Gorbachev. Doug previously served as foreign editor at USA TODAY. More about Doug

About Michael Winter

Michael Winter has been a daily contributor to On Deadline since its debut in January 2006. His journalism career began in the prehistoric Ink Era, and he was an early adapter at the dawn of the Digital Age. His varied experience includes editing at the San Jose Mercury News and The Philadelphia Inquirer.